issue 1 | autumn | 2004 eencountersncounters message from highlights in this issue EMBO Executive Director The launch of EMBOencounters inclined to send their best papers to these Nobel Prize for opens up a new channel of com- journals. It would be disappointing if the EMBO EMBO members munication for the EMBO com- membership became disengaged from these munity. The organisation has actions, which help EMBO to perform the full María Blasco wins never been complacent about scope of its activities today. EMBO’s reputation EMBO Gold Medal communications, but has perhaps not always is very much linked to the standing of its jour- EMBO and NPG launch found the right formula to convey its news nals, so the role that EMBO members play in new journal effectively. A recent survey of the EMBO mem- these publications is crucial. EMBOencounters bership highlighted this issue and showed that EMBOencounters is one way of bringing members are often unaware of the full range EMBO and its community closer together. The talks to Susan Gasser of EMBO activities. idea is to promote three-way communication New EMBO members Without the right information, it is difficult – not only between EMBO and its members, for you to become fully engaged in EMBO’s young investigators and fellows but also in a New young investigators actions. We want to find a way to counter this cyclical nature within the EMBO community. Speakers corner – the ERC – for your benefit as scientists and also to help We could all benefit from the networking an spread the word on EMBO’s activities. It is only organisation like EMBO can offer and our hope continue to use the newsletter as a forum for in this way that we can ensure as many peo- is that this new launch, spearheaded by their news. Your reaction to this first issue will ple as possible in the EMBC member states Lindsay Johnson, our new Communications be an important guide on how best to develop benefit from EMBO. Officer, will achieve these goals. its content and style in the future. I look for- A disturbing trend points to EMBO mem- Contributions from EMBO members to ward to using my column in future quarterly bers becoming less involved as referees with EMBOencounters have made this first edition issues to bring you up to date with topics of The EMBO Journal and EMBO reports and less all the richer and we hope that readers will particular importance. Frank Gannon EMBO celebrates the big 4-0 40th anniversary of EMBO’s foundation Rumour has it the big ‘4-0’ is not so big as it EMBO, spoke of the organisation’s role used to be. It seems 40 is young by today’s in her career. Nüsslein-Volhard de- standards and even more so in the life of a sci- scribed EMBO as “an organisation with entific organisation. Nonetheless, at 40 years enormous impact on the advancement ‘young’, EMBO could not let this milestone of biological sciences.” On a personal pass by without proper celebration. EMBO note Nüsslein-Volhard added, “EMBO members came from far and wide to attend was a great source of support to me, at the 40th anniversary celebrations in a time when I was getting little help from Heidelberg on June 18–20. elsewhere.” Set high on the hill above Heidelberg, its For Frank Gannon, Executive Director home since 1973, EMBO has come a long way of EMBO, the event was particularly sat- Executive Directors of EMBO – 1965 to present: since its foundation in 1964. Many of EMBO’s isfying. “The discussions that engaged Raymond Appleyard, John Tooze, Frank Gannon current initiatives were showcased at the the founding EMBO members and sub- anniversary meeting, but the event also gave sequent generations of scientists showed that commemorative edition now serves as a per- the opportunity to look back at the early days EMBO today has a major impact on European manent recollection of the events, history and and the scientific advances in which many science – and that is a real reason for celebra- timelines leading to the historic beginnings of EMBO members have had a hand. Christiane tion. Now EMBO looks forward to new chal- EMBO and EMBC and includes personal recol- Nüsslein-Volhard, Director of Genetics at the lenges and continued success.” lections from EMBO members spanning the Max Planck Institute for Developmental To coincide with the meeting, EMBO pub- past 40 years. Biology in Tübingen and Secretary General of lished a special 40th anniversary book. This www.embo.org/press/EMBO_40yrs.html European Molecular Biology Organization 2 Nobel Prize for EMBO members A systemic approach Two Israeli members win Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004 EMBO and NPG launch Molecular Systems Biology journal EMBO members, Aaron Ciechanover and “The protein-destroying process the scien- Avram Hershko of the Technion Institute of tists discovered was completely unexpected, March 2005 will see the launch of a new open- Technology in Haifa, Israel have been honoured because scientists had thought that such access, online publication from EMBO and with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004. destruction was not regulated”, said Lars NPG. Molecular Systems Biology will be the Ciechanover is director of the Rappaport Thelander, a member of the Nobel Committee first online journal to be dedicated solely to the Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute and for Chemistry. Thelander said researchers now emerging field of systems biology at the Hershko, originally from Hungary, is a profes- hope they will be able to manipulate the pro- molecular level – and also marks the first sor in the biochemistry unit at the Technion. tein degradation system in two different ways direct involvement of EMBO with the open- The two scientists share the prize with – either to prevent it from destroying proteins access publication model. American, Irwin Rose. that boost the immune system or to eliminate Hershko, Ciechanover and Rose receive the proteins that help cause diseases. molecu ar prize in recognition of their discovery of ubiq- At a news conference in the Haifa, the two uitin-mediated protein degradation. Over the Israelis said they hope their work will lead to systems past few decades much attention and new advances in the treatment of cancer. One bio ogy research has been devoted to understanding such drug, Velcade, is currently on the US mar- how the cell controls the synthesis of a certain ket, Ciechanover noted, and “there are many Available solely as an online journal, Molecular protein. The reverse, the degradation or break- more in the pipeline.” Hershko added, “It does Systems Biology will use an author-pays open- ing down of proteins, has been less explored. not mean that a miracle drug to beat cancer is access pricing model. This means that all read- Aaron Ciechanover, Avram Hershko and Irwin on the way. But I do believe there will be ers will be able to access research papers free Rose went against the stream and at the advances in the treatment of cancer based on of charge. Publication costs will be met in part beginning of the 1980s discovered one of the our work. This I truly believe in.” by a charge to authors for each article pub- cell's most important cyclical processes, regu- lished. lated protein degradation – how the human http://nobelprize.org Publication of a journal of this kind recog- body singles out unwanted proteins for /chemistry/laureates/2004/index.html nizes the importance of systems biology as an destruction to defend itself from disease (the emerging field and the need to make research so-called ‘kiss of death’ molecular label). in this area available to as wide an audience as possible in an appropriate format. The journal will publish relevant high quality research in the evolving fields of bioinformatics, genomics Felicidades María Blasco! and proteomics, microbial systems, cell signal- EMBO Gold Medal goes to spanish scientist ing and computational networks while work- ing with the systems biology community to Spanish scientist, this point in his words of congratulations, present standards and metrics for global com- María Blasco of the “María’s contribution to cancer research is plex datasets. Centro Nacional de unquestionable and her unstinting dedication Molecular Systems Biology will publish high Investigaciones makes her the ideal role model for other young quality, peer-reviewed research using pioneer- Oncológicas (CNIO) researchers.” On hearing the news of her suc- ing technologies, innovative formats and in Madrid, wins the cess, María commented, “I’m honoured to world-class editing. The senior editors of the EMBO Gold Medal accept this prestigious award. I hope my journal are proven leaders in the field – Ruedi 2004. María receives achievement will inspire other women in sci- Aebersold, a founding member of the Institute the award in recog- ence to persevere in their career.” for Systems Biology in Seattle; Peer Bork, coor- María Blasco nition of her land- The EMBO Gold Medal was presented at dinator of the Structural and Computational mark work in the the Ministry of Science in Vienna, Austria on Biology Programme at EMBL, Heidelberg; area of telomeres. The scientist’s research has October 15, 2004 as part of the EMBO George Church, Professor of Genetics at had a groundbreaking impact on cancer Members Meeting, “Frontiers of Molecular Harvard Medical School and Director of the research and gained wide recognition in the Biology”. Centre for Computational Genetics; Leroy field. www.embo.org Hood, co-founder and President of the Institute The EMBO Gold Medal is awarded annually to /press/gold_medal2004.html for Systems Biology in Seattle; and Edison Liu, a European scientist under 40 years of age Executive Director of the Genome Institute in with the aim of bringing the very best young Singapore.